Open thread: How do you start off a new year?

I can’t believe how little I posted this week, but I know why. I’ve two weeks off from work! Who is shocked that it’s 2012? Where has the time gone? I’m feeling an urgency. I want to do more with my life. This will be an exciting year. Stay tuned.

But unlike 2010 when I set a goal to eat a year of school lunch, I haven’t really made goals for 2012. I didn’t make any firm goals for 2011 either (aside from the big stuff: write and publish the book), which is unlike me. Sometimes keeping things hazy isn’t a bad thing.

I guess I’m lining up a series of hopes. Hoping to resolve some issues and, in the process, find my own way. Along those same lines of thought, I have chosen a word for this year. The word is INTENTION. I want to live with intention and move forward with purpose.

How do you mark the passing of a year? Do you reflect on past accomplishments? Do you set goals for yourself?

6 Responses to Open thread: How do you start off a new year?

I totally thought of you when I read this lady’s (Lynda’s) post about being the new head school lunch cook. It’s a good read .. maybe Jaime Oliver should investigate 😉 Happy new year .. It was great ‘seeing’ you on the news last year. I start off the new year setting a few major/minor goals for the year ahead .. a little kinder than a resolution. Most of my goals revolve around better gardening and food preservation. Have a great weekend.

Hi Mrs. Q. This year I’ll be using seeds that were saved from last year’s garden. They were all open pollinated and/or heirlooms .. but being new to seed saving, I’ll still order from the Good Seed Company (http://goodseedco.net) as they are in my area/growing zone too. We have such a short growing season, sometimes I buy plants locally from a greenhouse to get a jump start with peppers.

For the passing year, I looked back to all the changes that came through various means. My mom’s ill health in April caused me to look at what might be causing it. This led me to research gluten and all the problems it can cause. From there I went gluten-free and then my daughter, who has bipolar, also went gluten-free. A few months later I went totally grain/legume/dairy free and decided to train for a walking 1/2 marathon. The fall brought a first place finish for the 1/2 marathon (12:36/mile) and my daughter was able to cut her medications in half. Winter did not bring the crushing depression it usually does for her, for which we are incredibly grateful.

This year will be another of changes. I am looking at continuing my journey in nutrition and exercise. Would love to be able to do a full walking marathon in the summer. I want to challenge myself to do things that I haven’t tried before, be more active outside and enjoy my life.

This past year (2011) I set a goal for myself – to improve my health. My husband and I began our journey officially on January 15, 2011. A year to the day later I’m nearly 80 pounds lighter, no longer pre-diabetic and have WAY more engergy for my two kids.

Over the course of the year, food and nutrition has been a major area of interest for my family. I am trying to get into our school district (my oldest is a kindergartener) and make some changes to the school lunch program. I’m meeting some resistance, but I’m still pushing. 🙂

That is one of my “ideas” for this year. We have overhauled how we eat at home. My daughter takes lunch every day. Not necessarily for the nutrition, but because I know she wouldn’t eat half of what they serve because she’s so used to natural foods.

I’d like to start our own garden this year. And, over the course of the year to hit my goal weight (I was VERY obese). And while doing these two – showing my kids how to eat and live healthy. And how to have a good relationship with food. 🙂